Control apparatus



Dec. 27,1927.

H. MEYER CONTROL APPARATUS a Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 15, 1920 lNV ENTOR liar/y)? Meyer WITNESSES: M7.

ATT'ORNEY Dec. 27, 1-927.

H. R. MEYER CONTROL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 15, 1920 I 18 INVENTOR "Ha fiar fiflZg er A I WITNESSES TORNEY Dec. 27, 1927.

1,654,302 H. R. MEYER CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed July 15; 1920 s Sheets-Sheet g \N w E v\\ 72 Ms e E S WITNESSES: 0 g INVENTOR Harry/1i. Meyer" I l 1 & I 7/3 L I g U W ATT'ORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY R. MEYER, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 8c MANUFACTURING COIdPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

oonrnor. APPARATUS.

Applioationzfilecl July 15, 1920, Serial No. 396,537. Renewed November 6, 1925.

lvly invention relates to control apparatus and it has special relation to attachments for controllers oi the well-known K type tor electric rail vay vehicles.

The object of my invention is to providev an automatic releaselor an auxiliary controller whereby it 15 impossible for the mo tors of a car to operate after the motorman has removed his hand from the controller handle.

This device is intended to prevent careless operation or the car and to decrease the chances for an accident should the motorman become unable to continue his duties while the car is inoperation.

More specilicallystated, the object of my invention is to provide a protective device for an auxiliary controller similar to the one which has been fully described in the application for a patent or L. G. Riley, et al., t'lerial umber 381,980, liled May 17, 1920, and assigned to the lvestinghouse Electric 01- E nui acturing Company. The invention con s in so. positioning springs between the relatively movable parts of the auxiliary ciwntroller that the parts must assume a prerig crinined angular relation when the motor-man releases the controller handle,.thereby preventing the line switch from remain ing closed.

For a better understanding of my invention. reference may be made to the, accoin-, 'ing drawings, wherein.

hig. l. is a view, in side elevation, of an auxiliary controller embodying my invenlion, installed upon a K controller.

2 is a transverse sectional view, taken (I the line i l-II of Fig. 3.

3 is a longitudinal, sectional view, along the line 111 111 of Fig. 2. ii is an elevationalview or the intenor parts or a switchingattachment whlch automatically released by springs 1n accordance withn' y invention, the casing memher being shown in section.

and 6 are transverse, sectional views. taken along the line V-V of Fi 2, and show the dogs and springs in an operative position and in an inoperative posilion, respectively.

Fig. 7 diagrammatic view of a portion or motor-control system which serves to indicate the proper circuit arrangement and operating sequence of the contact members eml'iodied in my switching attachment.

. curved lug '7.

shown in ciosi'i-seci'ion.

. from rotating.

Fig. 8 is cross sectional view ofthe lower dog member taken along the line a side cover 3 that is secured thereto by tap screws he controller handle 5, a positionindicating member 6 and a stop member or The auxiliary controller is mounted upon a main controller 8 of the well-lrnown K type having a reverse switch handle 9 to the left of the auxiliary controller. i

In Figs. 2, and a, the casing 2 and the side cover 3 of the auxiliary controller 1 are The position-indicating member 6 is mounted upon a short shaft member 10, being securedthereto by a pin 11. The controller handle 5 is mounted upon the shaft 10 above theposition-indieating memherfi, as is shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 10 projects through a water cap or boss 13, which is part ot the casing 2. An upper dog or cylindrical Cl sting 12 is mounted upon the lower portion ofthe shaft 10, positioned thereon by means of anut or tap collar '14. A pin 15 prevents the. collar 14 A second or lower dog member or cylindrical casting 16 is fitted over the customary drum shaft 17, which extends through the controller cover 18 and a water cap or boss 19. The water cap or boss 13 and the boss 19 areprovided vith bearings 20 and 21,

member 6, indicates to the operator the position that is occupiedby the controller drum at. all times. v

I The upper dog member 12 is provided with lugs or projecting nortions 241 having recesses 25. An annular drum 26 of insulating mate rial, such, for example, as a molded composilfion formed of fibrous material and a binder,

is mounted upon the dog 12 by means of screws which are positioned in the holes or recesses 25. A sealing compound 28 is disposed in the outer portion of the holes 25, to secure adequate insulation. A contact strip or segment 29 is mounted upon the annular drum 26 by means of suitable tap screws (not shown).

llO

lit)

The lower taco oi? the dog 12 has downwardly projecting curved blocks or lugs 30 and 3.1 which are oppositely lisposed the one to the other, as shown in ll .1 2, 5 and (5.

The lower dog l coinprixes 'adially c. tending arms or lacs 32 on which is mounted an annular druin as. similar in construction to the insulating druin The drum is secured to the lugs "2 by screws 3 L, which are covered with suitable insulating material 235. A contact strip or segment 36 niountcd upon the annular drum by means of suitable tap screws (not shown).

The upper surface of the dog 16 is: provided with two upwardly projecting lugs 36a and 3'? which are oppositely disposed the one to the other. These lugs occupy ditferent positions in the same general plane and correspond to the interlocking blocks 30 and 31, being thus adapted to interlace with them.

The angular space between confronting blocks is probably about 35, that is, the upper dog 12 has 35 of tree travel before striking the lower dog 16 in the one or the other direction. It. should be noted that the various structural figures. with the exception of Fin: 5, illustrate my device as occupying its ()lt" position, corresponding to the forward movement of by the upper dog 12.

A relatively deep recess is drilled in the upper side of the curved block 36a and a. pin 38, having a conical head. projecting; slightly above the upper face oi the block 36a, is resiliently mounted therein by means of a spring (see l igs. 2 and 8). A corresponding recess 39 is milled in the lower face of the dog 12 between the curved blocks 30 and 31 and the upwardly projecting pin 38 is adapted to engage the recess vhen the blocks are in the position shown in Fig. 5. The purpose of the pin 38 is to prevent the contact surfaces of the curved blocks 30 and 36a troin disengaging because of the unavoidable jarring ot the vehicle or slight relaxation of pressure upon the handle by the operator.

A plurality-of recesses 40, 4-1, 4-2 and +3 are provided in the curved blocks 30, 31, 36a and 37, respectively, in the manner best shown in 5 and 3. A helical spring tel: is positioned in the recesses 4-0 and d2 of the curvcc. blocks 30 and 36a and similar spring; 4-5 is in like manner POrSltlOIlMl in the recesses ll and 4-53 of the curved bloclrs ill and 37, respectively.

Fig. 6 shows the curved this 30, Sl. 36a and 37 in the Oil position. The springs 4-4 and tend to maintain the blocks in this relative angular position.

In Fig. 5. the curved blocks 30. 31. 36a and 37 are shown in the only relative nosi t on that will. secure the completion ot the electrical circuit hereinafter described. It is apparent that in this position the helical springs and are in compression and as soon as: the operator of the car removes his hand from the handle 5 the springs i l and do will so separate the contact faces as to assume the relative position shown in Fig. (3.

Fig. 4; shows a contact linger 46 which is provided with a suitable contact tip -l7 that is secured to the lower face oil the annular druin 26 and is electrically connected to the contact strip 29. The contact tip 4.7 engages a contact strip or blocl: ib, which secured to the upper face of the annular druin 33, only when the curved blocks and. 3611 are in contact with each other, as shown in Fig. 5, and a relatively sn'ia'll angular inoven'icnt of the blocks removes the contact tip l7 from the block 48.

The contact strip l8 electrically con nected to the contact segment 86. The lower face ol' the annular druin 26 has an insulating channel member 40 secured thereto to prevent the contact ineinber etG from coming in contact with any other portions of the dog 16. It similar channel member protects the portion of the annular druin member which adjacent to the contact block L8.

relatively short contact plate or segment 51 is mounted upon the periphery of the drain 33 and is electrically connecte l to the contact strip 36. A plurality of contact lingers and 541- are mounted upon a linger-board 5 1a; and are adapted to engage the contact segments and 36 and the contact strip 51, respectively, during predetern'iined periods ol the drum rotation. Suitable electrical terminals are provided for the contact fingers 52, 53 and 5 1.

Fig. 2 shows the method. oi. mounting; the fingerboard 54; upon a projection 56 ot the casing 2 by means ol. a plurality of bolts 57.

The operation of my invention and the electrical circuits established. thereby will now be described:

In Fig. 'i', the system shown comprises various contacting nienibe s of my auxiliary switching attaclnnent and a portion of those to be found in the K controller or main switching device 8. In addition, supply-circuit coi'iductors respectively niarhcd Trolley and Ground. a line switch LS and a. n'iain-rnotor-circuit or zu'iceleratinc resistor 58 are shown.

Under normal conditions. that is. when the controller handle has been moved to its ere treine position, coria-ispondinn to the right hand vertical tace ot' the stop member T (Fig. ll. the electrical circuits are arrairsrccl as in Fig. 7. vi erein it will be seen tli: t this nornial position lies a certain distance beyond the line corresponding; to the familiar oil position of drum controllers. In this pa"- ticular case. I prefer an angular distance of approximately 35 between the nornml and oil position that corresponds to forward or advanced drum movement, as previ-.

ously set forth. At this time, the controller finger 52 engages one portion of the upper contact segment 29, while the controller finger 53 is in an intermediate position between the ends of the contact segment 36. Consequently, no circuit is completed, although a live circuit extends as far as the tip ol the control finger 46 between the rotatable auxiliary drum members 12 and 16. The curved blocks or tongues 30, 31, 36a and 37 and the helical springs 14 and are in the position shown in Fig. 6. It is apparent that the springs l-l: and are under relatively slight pressure in this position.

Under these conditions, the interlocking tongues upon the confronting end faces of the rotatable dogs 12 and 16 are separated. by the above-mentioned angular distance of 35 in a direction tobe considered as forwarm, namely, clockwise when viewing the auxiliary controller apparatus from the top, indicatedby the arrow in Fig. This condition of the interlocking dogs is shown in Fig. 7.

Upon forwardmovement of the auxiliary shatt 10 by the controller handle 5 for a distance oi 35 the customary Off position of the controller 8 is reached. Such movement of the auxiliary shaft 10 has eliected the rotation of the upper dog 12 alone, and

l conuiressed the helical springs 14 and 1-5 in-the manner shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In this position, the curved lJlOCliS 3t) and 31, respectively, engage the curved blocks 36a and 37, and the contact tip 47 of the control finger d6, which islocated between the dogs 12 and 16, engages the contact block 48. In this way the energization of the auxiliary switching attachment extends as far as the contact segments 36 and 51 and, in fact, through control linger 53 and conductor to auxiliary contact linger 76 ot the line'switch LS.

Consequently, at this time, the two dogs 12 and 16 are mechanically interlocked as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, respectively, and continued movement of the controller handle 5 in the forward direction of the auxiliary shaft 10 will effect simultaneous travel of the contact segments 29 and 36 and oi the main controller shait 17.

As soon as the Oli position is reached, a further mechanical action takes place in the nature of the insertion oi the pin 38, which is associated with the lower dog 16, into the recess 39 in the confronting end face of the upper dog 12. While this lock is only temporary and may be removed by the backward action of the controller handle it,

never ihelees, serves useful purpose in preventing the two dogs from becoi'ning accidentally separated by reason 01 jars caused by the operation of the controller or by the travel of the vehicle. It is to be understood that this pin does not exert suflicient pressure in this position to prevent the separation of the contact blocks and 31 from the contact blocks and 37 by the springs a l and 15 it the operator releases the handle. Thus, when once the upper dog 12 has been actu ated to the Oil position, corresponding to the electrical connection of the upper and the lower contact segments 29 and 36, such connection is maintained throughout the for wardoperation of the control apparatus, though there be slight inequalities of pressure upon the handle 5 by the operator.

Movement of the control apparatus of approximately 46 from the Off position to the Run? position, which corresponds to the initial operatire position otthe K controller, first causes the contact segments 61 ofthe K controller to engage with the control lingers 62 and 63. In this way, a

circuit is established from one stationary contact terminal 6 1 of the line switch LS through conductor 65, control fingers 62 and whereby it is insured that the arcing incident to the completion ofthe main motor circuit will be taken by the line switch LS.

Such circuit completion is effectedas soon as the control apparatus reaches the abovementioned Run position, wherein the contact strip or segment 51 of the auxiliary switching attachment engages the control finger 54:. Under these conditions,a circuit is established from the trolley through conductor 66, auxiliarycircuit hand switch 67, conductor 68, control linger 52, contact segment 29, control finger 46, contact block a8, contact segments 36 and 51 and. control finger 54; of the auxiliary switching device, whence circuit is continued through conductor 69, a suitable resistor 7 O and the actuating coil of the line switch LS to Ground.

The consequent closure of the line switch LS completes a main circuit from the trolley throughconductor 71, main hand switch 72, and conductor 7 3, and contact disk 74 of the line switch LS to stationary contact terminal 6 1, whence circuit is completed through the K controller, as already traced.

As'soon as the line switch LS is closed, a holding circuit therefor is formed from the contact segment 36 on the lower dog 16 through control finger 53, conductor 75,stationary contact/terminal 76, auxiliary disk or contact block 77 of the line switch, whence circuit is continued through terminal 57 and conductor 56 to the controller finger 5a.

Consequently, the continued energization of the actuating coil of the line switch is insured, even though the contact segment 51 Cir Lil

becomes disengaged from the control linger 54 after the controller loaves its initial operative or Run. position.

However, although the closure of the line switch is thus maintained, the provision of a lilting; circuit for the line switch in the lirst operative position onl oi the controller is de irahlc. il hcnever the line switch has been opened, during motor operation, by the backward movementot the controller as about to he described, the line switch should not iiu he closed until the controller has been returned to its initial operative lun position. in this way, it insures that the e tire amel orating resistor 58 will he connected in circuit with the vehicle motor or motors before the connection to the supply circuit is eti'ectel.

Continued movement or the controller handle in the forward direction operates the entire apparatus as a. unit, a" previoi'if mentioned, to effect any desired manipulation of the main control circuit.-- such as the successive short-circuit oi: sections ot the accelerating resistor 58. Since this operztion is Well known in the art and, :lurlhei more, since the particular tvpo of stem notn'iaterial to my present iweniiox l: do not deem it necessary to further il lust etc or describe the main circuits.

\Vhen it desired to shut ell? the power the controller handle is actuated n the verse direction and finally is rikcs die iris hand vertical face of the stop member T. The first actions accoi'i'iplishcd by such hack- Ward movement of the controller handle are the enforced depression of the pin 88 and the reverse travel ot the upper dog 12 for an angle of The dog}; is actuated t) rearwardly until the opposite end 'l'aces ot the interlocking blocks and 31 come in contact with. the confronting end laces ot the iliter-locking blocks 343a and 1-17 on the lower dog 16. This distance 3 again prelerahly 35 in which event the intermediate p ,sition relal ive ii indicat d in Fig. T by the lc cnd Oi piimil'ion, returning.

lonsequently, t i neat ot the coniiroile' circuit between the contact block 48 i :u'luai'ingg coil tor the immediately open; and thus that is caused by sucl main-motor circuit.

' -lienii spriuc's :H- and are sailito cause the dog; ii to as position with relation to 1r to that sown in Fin. (5 L118 operator should, for FJLLSOH, remove his hand 'lroi'u the ci'introller handle when the power is on. in this any, the

control finger 4:6 occupies a to the lower contact sc' 'iiiiznli 23 crrupts the and the Lilli of the cientlv same an the dog i if opening of the line switch LS occurs to dceneigizc the motors.

After the line switch LS has thus been opened, the lower dog 16 and the K con trollor 8 11 av he ha :lnvardly rotated by hand as a uni With the upper dog 12 until the extreme position illlllSOll Normal is again reached when all oi the parts occupv the positions illustrated in Fig. T. lit is apparent that (illl)()tl3'lll this automatic rc-- lease. in the auxiliary controller does not change olhei' desirahm features thereof,

' 'arious alterations and t diparting from the spirit u'e, therelorc, that only such l, he placed thereupon as are i, h the prior art or as are specifil'orth in the appended clain'is.

, r I ll as my invention:

1. The (JUlDlilDilillOIl with a. plurality of re atively movable contact-carrying devices l in axial alinen'ientand. means for icrll y' i'ntcrloii ln." said devices only of said devices has been actuated predetermined distance, of inter- I esilient means for biasing said i predetermined relation.

2. llhe combination with a control-drun'i an auxiliary cinitact-carryi11g deattached to said shaft, a second shalt adapted for manual operation, a second con- 'zzct-carrying device mounted on said second that and having a mechanically interlockiig relation to the ti 4 named device to otthe control-drum shaft upon the operation of sa d second shaft and a :oinprcssion spring interposed between said devices for maintaining thorn in predetermined relation to each other during discontinuance ot such manual operation.

3. The combination with a control-drum sha'tt of an aui 'liarv con act-carrying device attached to said shaft and having a rigid projection, a second shaft adapted for manual operation, a second contact-carrying device mounted on said second shaft and having a r gid projection adapted to engage the tirst-juained projecticm to ell'cct direct interlocliingo't id devic s during: a certain range oi tra l, and resilient means tending to maintain said projections in predct rmined angula' relation to each other.

l. The combination with a control-chum shaft, of an auxiliary contact-carrying de vice attached to saidshaft and having a projection provided with a recess, a second shaft adapted for manual operation, a second contact-carrying device mounted on said second shaft and having a projection adapted to engage the first-named projection during a certain range of travel, said projection of said second contactcarrying device being provided with a recess, and a resilient member extending between said projections and positioned in said recesses 5Q The-"combination with a control-drum shaft, of an auxiliary contact-carrying device attached to said shaft, and having a plurality of lugs of angular dimensions corresponding to a predetermined position of the travel of the device, a second shaft adapted for manual operation, a second contact-carrying device mounted on said shaft and having a projection located between the first-named projections to selectively engage them after a predetermined degree of travel in the one or the other direction, and means for actuating said second contact-carrying device to an electrically inoperative position upon cessation of said manual operation during the occupation of a running position by said first device.

6. Control apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable members, one of which is actuated by the other, a contact device disposed between said members and electrically connecting them, and automatic means for preventing said contact device from remaining in a closed position by effecting relative angular movement of said members. a

7. Control apparatus comprising a plumaintaining said rotatable members in predetermined angular relation.

9. The combination with a control-drum shaft, of an auxiliary contact-carrying device attached to said shaft, a second shaft adapted for manual operation, a second contact-carrying device mounted on said second shaft, means for mechanically interlocking said device, a contacting device located between said contactcarrying devices for effecting connection between the confronting end surfaces thereof, and means tending to interrupt said connection.

1.0. The combination with a main controller and a line switch, of an auxiliary manually operated controller for closing and opening said line switch and for actuating said main controller and means Within said auxiliary controller for effecting the opening of said lineswitch if manual operation stops.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of July 1920.

HARRY R. MEYER. 

